“For all the folks who have been waiting for this for decades and decades, my line is ‘good things come to those who wait,’” Montrose Recreation District Executive Director Ken Sherbenou told Club Industry. “There has definitely been a gap in the infrastructure in Montrose for a long time.”

The Montrose Aquatics Center is currently the District’s primary facility in the western Colorado town of just over 19,000, but it is nearly 30 years old, and many current recreation programs are held offsite at maintained or rented spaces around the city.

Montrose voters approved a base plan for the new facility in April 2014, but there was a concern it would become quickly overburdened. That concern developed into an ‘enhanced’ plan to help future-proof the facility.

The enhanced plan includes a larger lap pool and dual walking tracks. There also will be a therapy space operated by the Montrose Memorial Hospital.

Scherbenou said the enhanced plan is almost fully funded through local fundraising efforts and through contributions from the Daniels Fund ($500,000) and the Colorado Department of Local Affairs ($1.9 million). He called the city a “key partner” in making the new recreation center possible and said additional outdoor space offers future expansion capabilities.

When the new center opens, the old facility will still find use in a different capacity: the pool will be filled and turned into an artificial turf field.

“This is really going to help Montrose to continue to improve and have a more positive long-term outlook as a community,” Scherbenou said. “Montrose is truly a city on the rise. There’s a lot of excitement for a pretty small community. It’s going to be amazing to bring this facility online in a great community.”